Heads Or Tails
by Retarded.Pants
Summary: The Torchwood team is back: Jack, Gwen and Ianto remain but who has taken the place of the others? Chapter 5 is up... I'm going to work on Chapter 6 soon! I'm doing my best
1. Chapter 1: Wanderer

**Chapter One: Wanderer**

She stood under the great waterfall in the institute as if marvelling at its height. It, indeed, was tall and the immense power of the water flushing down it was quite, well, immense and powerful. Yet that was not what she could think of.

It was an obvious sign that she had been on Earth far too long, as she began to stop wondering at the marvels around her. However, as she was still a teenager (even for her kind), she did have an excuse, and because of that she still held her immaturity. Actually, she grasped onto it. The main reason being because maturity on Earth meant she would have to get a job and start paying bills; which didn't appeal to her.

But all she thought when she saw such a tall-standing object that gushed fluids from its highest peak, was of what it reminded her of. Oh yes, how phallic it was. And this made her giggle ever-so slightly.

It was thankful that her host, the one with the long, dark-blue, trench coat, was not back with his team or she'd have been seen. Of course, she knew they would check the tapes but she thought it would be quite funny to see there faces when they realised she'd had a wander around their 'establishment' - especially when she'd been locked in.

Now, of course, she was going to lock herself back in before they came back but she believed that the corridor out of the cells wasn't enough of an adventure. Mainly because all she had seen where the smelly weevils, and in her honest opinion they weren't exactly that interesting. Surely, a better adventure would involve her having starring-roles on many more of they're CCTV camera shows.

However, she was about to rethink this idea when she found something that didn't make her giggle. In fact, it made the fur on her back stand to attention. There was an ancient kind of screeching noise, and it swooped around and above her before circling the phallic waterfall. It was, of course, some kind of prehistoric beast; what more do you expect from a place with amazing and yet dangerous time-travelling and alien equipment. She'd seen some creatures like it in the books at the libraries she'd wandered into, and she was certain that she'd seen it at one of the museums she just happened to come across.

It was because of these trips that she knew, for a fact, that it shouldn't be there. Such a thing should, in fact, be extinct. And actually, she knew as another fact, she'd defecate in her pants if it flew any where near her!

For obvious reasons she didn't like dangerous beasts that were allowed freedom (which is not her being a hypocrite, because she's actually not dangerous. She's civilised, after all). She doesn't like being prey, though, and it gives her a quite unnerved feeling if she is. Especially as she wasn't prey to much on her planet; like humans on Earth who are only prey if they are stupid enough to be such.

After it flew away, she took a few seconds to think, and change her mind about the whole adventure out of the safety of her small cell, before turning sharply back to the corridor. Back towards the weevils, she went and it was the best idea. After all, she was going to be safe, and the Torchwood team would probably be coming back sometime.

Maybe soon.

Well, she hoped soon, just in case the beast could find its way to her and then have the ability to get through into the cell to eat her. She shuddered at the thought of being hunted down. She shuddered at the thought of liking the cell instead of freedom. On the other hand, the thought and fear of being hunted and maybe killed was far greater than her pride. Consequently, she got back in the cell and got to work on locking it back up.


	2. Chapter 2: Angel Wasp

**Chapter Two: Angel Wasp**

"The Angel Wasp! Although a lot like a bee, it's not. It says so in its name. It's described, for humans, as a normal wasp, but larger, with an archaic wing design. There's something rather angelic about it but it's extremely deadly, highly poisonous, and so very alien. A single flutter of its wing can poison the air it wafts, and if that hits you… Well, lets just say you'll be lucky if it only make's you ill! It's going to be most likely that it will choke and kill any one unlucky enough to become its victim.

"They're quite magnificent, but they have the same fatal flaw as most bees do," he bellowed, the casket-esque door rolled to close behind him and his team; Ianto, Gwen, Mickey, and Dr Lawrence followed. "Good driving, by the way Ianto."

"So, one sting and they die?" Mickey asked, although there was a slight hint of it being a rhetorical question.

"The real reason for a bee dying after stinging is not the sting itself but that the stinger gets lodged in the victim. The bee struggles to release itself and in turn the abdomen, or lower part of the insect, is ripped off. The loss of this is what later kills the creature," Dr Lawrence nodded before scoffing, "and they say inverts don't have the same feelings as we do." Mickey raised his eyebrows, he already knew this, but it seemed best (at least in his experience of the last few days) to humour the man and let him think that a computer genius, like himself, was a bit dim in certain areas.

"Well yes," the Captain, also in the same mind as Mickey, ignored most of the words that spewed from the doctor's lips and carried on, "but we mustn't let it sting. That's how it breeds. As somewhere in its evolutionary line it realised that its flaw was a bad thing and instead of changing it, it used it as a way to release more. That's why, Ianto, we must burn the body, but first let Dr Lawrence examine it. Those eggs have an incubation period of at least 24 hours, Dr Lawrence we need to know the time of death pronto!" He seemed tense and exhilarated at the same time. The Captain obviously enjoyed his work but it was obvious he had a lot more information that needed to come out – but not just yet.

"What else do you need Jack?" Gwen asked, rather unoccupied.

"Ianto. A strong coffee for me, whilst Lawrence works, if you please," Jack smiled politely. Ianto nodded and went through the doors above the stairs. He turned to Gwen, giving her a quick smile, "Gwen. I need you to get as many reports from the police of strange bee or wasp behaviour. Any death related to bees and wasps throughout Cardiff over the last six months would also help, and I need you to get them to report anything related to bees and wasps to us when they come in. Even if it's an insanity report, we need it all – it could be linked. Now Mickey!"

Mickey raised his head; on arrival he had walked towards the screen of his computer. He wasn't used to such a big desk and, as he was just temping for the moment, he wasn't going to get settled any time soon. It was an odd thing, though, Torchwood could be fast, and then it could be slow. It could be fun and a laugh before twisting into something very alien and very, very dangerous.

He'd just opened his files on the computer as Jack called his name for orders. His eyes seemed to slightly light up - but only slightly!

"Ah, my eager-eyed computer friend, we need to map out a 50 mile radius of the scene. If there is more out there then there will be a nest. I need you to highlight key areas of anywhere with a dense mass of trees. That's woodlands, forests, parks. Anything tree related. We just have to hope there isn't one and that we won't need this." Mickey nodded, and Jack gave him a quick pat on the back as he turned towards the others.

Gwen had picked up the phone and was dialling a number. Soon she would be able to tell him if there where any recent or old reports of deaths by bee and wasp. "If there are any more – lets hope there isn't more than one nest," he muttered to himself.

Ianto opened the doors and came through.

"Err… Jack?" he seemed worried and yet a little amused.

"Hmmm," Jack turned to him and searched his hands for coffee, "We aren't out of coffee are we?"

"Well, no, but you might want to check the CCTV camera footage," he said, it was a vague way of informing of a problem and Jack seemed to think so too.

"What is it?" he asked, raising an eyebrow, "is it the weevils?"

"No, and I doubt you will believe me if I told you," Ianto replied, "It's best if you look for yourself."

"Mickey can you put them on screen?"

"Way ahead of you Jack," he smirked at his screen and clicked a few buttons. In a matter of seconds he'd done his magic, "it's all set up. When and where, Ianto?"

"Loop Camera's 4, 5 and 7 - from an hour ago," he instructed.

Mickey did just that. He fanned out the three cameras on the screen so each was viewable. Ianto and Jack both rushed over to the screen. Gwen's head turned and her face scrunched (wondering what was going on), but she had to turn away as she was still on the phone.

The footage played.

"Ianto, this is an empty cell? Why are we-" Jack interrupted him.

"Where is she?" Jack blinked and searched the screen. The next camera showed movement and the corridor to the Weevil cages. "What does she think she is doing?! How did she get out?"

"I told you. You wouldn't have believed it if I said it," Ianto stood back but Jack moved in further. Mickey gave him some space, by giving up his seat and looked towards Ianto.

"Who is she?" He asked, curious and unaware.

Jack leaned back on the seat and his face froze in a moment of shock and bewilderment. The weight of possibilities tipped as his posture turned towards annoyance and slight anger. He leaned forward again to replay the footage. As he did so he explained.

"She came in a month or two ago. She's supposed to be with a friend; apparently a quite important friend. But we haven't found that one. Well, not yet," Jack added, his face peered closer to the screen, though they all knew it wouldn't help.

"So she was in the cell?"

"Yep," answered Ianto.

"How did she get out?" he asked.

"Don't know. There's no footage for an hour before that, I think she's tampered with them. Probably doesn't want us to know how she got out. Then she can do it again," he added. He looked down at Jack seemingly waiting for a reaction from him, but there was a long pause.

It was made shorter by Gwen ending her conversation on the phone. She stood up, turned around, and surveyed their faces. She could sense the worry, confusion and the anger arising on Jack's.

"What's wrong?" she asked, "What's the commotion, what's happened?"

"Have you finished on the phone?" asked Jack, his voice was raised and his tone was hostile in annoyance.

"Yes," Gwen answered before adding, "They were actually helpful this time. They're faxing over a report on any related deaths in the area and in the past three months. Apparently it will take a little bit of collation to get the three months before that – we could be waiting until tomorrow morning. But, maybe good news, the woman on the phone knew there were at least two deaths."

"Why have we not been told this before!" an angered Jack slammed his hands down on the computer desk. It made Ianto blink and Gwen was also a little surprised. Mickey raised his eyebrows, as he'd never seen this side of the Captain before, but Dr Lawrence was un-phased by any of this and was conducting tests happily; away from everyone else.

"They weren't suspicious deaths, I asked, it seems the majority of the victims noted had allergies. However, I did find out, this case is the first with a sting. The others had traces of bee or wasp poison in the body," Gwen noted and was happy that Jack seemed pleased, or at least contented, with this information.

"Right, now you've finished that, you can come with me to have words with our little wandering friend!" he said, gritting his teeth ever so slightly.

"Wandering – No, wait, what about the faxes?"

"I'll pick them up for you," Ianto offered, with a smile, "and then I'll get you that coffee, Jack."

"Bring it down to the cells, although she's chatty, I don't think I'll get the answers I want from her quick – so I'm going to be some time," he added walking away towards the door down to the cells, "you coming Gwen?"

Gwen nodded and rushed down to follow. She passed through the doors when Mickey turned to Ianto.

"The girl? Is she alien?"

"Yeah, she has some kind of camouflage- cloaking device. We only allow her to use it because it she replicated it for us," Ianto informed.

"So what kind of alien is she? What does she really look like?" has asked only curiously.

"Some sort of cat. Rather furry, with a tail. That's how we caught her, her device wasn't working properly, and someone walking around with a tail – well that's just plain odd. When we brought her in we helped her fix it."

"She's quite co-operative then," Mickey added.

"Yeah, for a wanted alien she actually is. Maybe that's why Jack doesn't trust her," Ianto commented with a sigh. There was a short pause, "would you like a drink?"


	3. Chapter 3: Caught Out

**Chapter Three: Caught Out**

"Your adventures stop here!" Jack shouted as he swung open the cell door.

Gwen stood outside the cell, she had the feeling she would only be there to monitor the situation and calm Jack down a little. Which seemed easier said than done. It didn't help that the alien girl had a smug, amused look on her face.

"First off, how did you get out?" Jack ordered an answer from her. He didn't get many escapees and he surely wasn't happy to find out he'd had one.

"Well, to be honest, it was actually quite easy," she smiled, though Jack didn't look at all impressed, "You don't really want to hear the details and anyway, you could probably figure it out from watching me re-lock myself back in."

"I'd rather you explain yourself," Jack said, "and the less waffle the better."

"I don't waffle. It's all actually very important information; you just don't think it is," she explained rather cheekily, "that or you don't care."

"Jack," Gwen called, "Table. Chairs. Let's do this properly. Its known to get answers out a little easier!"

"They say the same thing for torture, you know," Jack added as walked out of the cell. Gwen would have retorted back but she realised that Jack was joking, or at least trying to mock her normal police ways. The alien girl followed, understanding the situation and sitting down on a chair.

"So go on. Tell us," Jack added sitting down. Gwen was sat next to him, acting as the associate. Most probably she was going to act out 'good-cop', as Jack was acting out 'bad-cop' quite well.

"I was messing with my device again. Okay?" she moaned, but continued, "didn't mean to escape either. Or, at least, mess around with the electronics of the door and some how make it not work for a few moments. It must have been some kind of pulse or wave of energy that messed with the wiring or short-circuited it."

"Why tweak or mess with it?" he asked suspiciously.

"I was bored," she rolled her eyes, "Stuck in a cell. Which is pretty small by the way, and it smells, too."

"What? You expected five star accommodations?"

"I expected that my co-operation would actually go somewhere. Apparently being helpful doesn't help," she glared.

"You have only done one thing to make it worse for yourself! Now tell me, why did you really try to escape?"

"I didn't try to escape!"

"Then why unlock yourself?" Asked Gwen.

"I said, I didn't mean too! This is because you're camera went out too, isn't it? You'd have seen me messing with the device if it hadn't. What I was trying to do was see if I could manually upgrade it. The force field on this version's shockingly bad – so I took a screw driver and fiddled," she explained.

"Who gave you a screw driver?"

"You did. When I was repairing it, the small one fell on the floor and… I, kind of, didn't realise it until you were gone and we'd finished repairs and done the replicating."

"What do you mean: kind of?" Jack asked, not believing a word she was saying.

"Well it's not like you checked if I hadn't given you one back, and it's only small," she tried to cover her tracks.

"So you're a wanted alien, you escape and you're also a thief?!"

"I was gonna give it back. Plus, its not like I actually escaped, I mean I didn't go outside and I went back," she said looking around the room. Avoiding the eye contact of Jack and Gwen.

"Then we'll take back that screwdriver," Gwen added. Holding out her hand and the girl rolled her eyes again, before taking from her pockets a small instrument, and placed it in Gwen's outstretched hand.

"So, why did you come back?" she asked as she placed the small screwdriver in her own pocket.

"You mean other than your Pterodactyl? I don't want to escape. I'll have UNIT on to me if I do, and the rest of Torchwood! And it's not going to be a good day when either of them gets me."

"What makes us different from the rest of Torchwood?" Gwen whispered to Jack. Jack evaded her question and stood up, but looked down angrily at the alien girl. "Jack?" Gwen tried to get an answer, but didn't reply with what she wanted.

"Because Gwen," Jack finally answered, "She's got three bounties on her head," she opened her mouth to butt in but Jack just pointed a finger at her and she kept quiet, "Three bounties; from Torchwood Base, UNIT and her home world. The only problem is that it is a bounty for two aliens, and we need the other. She's going to help us do just that."

"That's what you told us before Jack, but that doesn't change the question. Why does she think we are different to the other Torchwoods?" She asked again. It was obvious that the girl had heard the whisper and that is why Gwen had changed her voice. The discretion of the topic wavered but it was obvious that neither of them cared.

"From our evidence, from my own background with her race, and from every angle – except one – I can't trust her. Yet I keep her here, alive and safe. I haven't informed Torchwood that we have her, yet, because she's the only one who knows the whereabouts of her friend. Torchwood Base gave out the order that once you find her, you send her to them. They'll store her with all their other aliens until they find the other one and then they will claim the bounty."

He paused, his face was crumpled. The girl kept quiet, as she knew all of this, before sighing and looking on the floor. Gwen looked at Jack and would have said something had he not began to talk again.

"And yeah, you're right it's not that different to what we are doing. But, they won't look into if she actually deserves this and they won't even think about using her to find another alien. She's too much of an asset for that."

"So we are harbouring a wanted criminal and hiding it from our own organisation, UNIT, and an alien planet more advanced than us?" Gwen asked, but from her tone it was more of a question of _why?_ and _are you stupid?! _Jack ignored the question.

"Do you realise how much trouble you are?" Jack asked turning to the girl, "All the evidence points that you actually are telling the truth – but with three bounties, no witness, and a broken ship that you stole I'm going to take the higher up's side when it comes to taking you in."

"All because I'm clever enough to tweak my own technology and fix things I damage?" she asked.

"And the ship?" asked Jack with a raised eyebrow.

"The Ruby 3000 series was not designed to crash into the earth!" She pointed out, not bothering to mention the simple fact that ships that crash into things, mostly planets, are not able to be suitably repaired with out the right equipment. No earth man could give her what she needed. She probably would have mentioned this, though, if Ianto hadn't walked in with drinks for Jack and Gwen. None for the alien girl it seemed, "And its not like it was designed for interstellar travel, or worm-holes, or jumping rifts in space. So I think you'll find, I did quite a good job keeping it together as it's pilot whilst it was in one piece. Not to mention the fact, it wasn't actually stolen," she added, with a matter of fact and intelligence about her, "It belongs to the Princess."

"Oh no, we've got a Princess involved in all this? What's her name then Mario or Bowzer?" Ianto added motioning to the alien.

"I'm sorry?" Jack drifted to wonder what Ianto was going on about.

"You know, Nintendo, or I am the only geek in the room," Ianto asked.

"I'm sorry, you're Princess is in another castle," the girl said shrugging and Ianto nodded to her.

"See, she knows what I'm going on about."

"Well, thanks for that Ianto, and the drinks," Gwen said, as he left the room.

"So, what is her name?"

"Ummm," Jack moved back and sipped his coffee. The alien girl smirked; the amusement she could get from these people could be put into three simple words: **quite a lot**.

"He doesn't know your name," Gwen almost laughed, "You know she's got a bounty on her head but you don't know her name. What does it come with a photograph? Because with her camouflage device-"

"DNA strand, and yes a description and picture," Jack butted in; "She's only the Princess' body guard – they don't know her name because their records have been wiped. People nearest to the family are very loyal to them, it seems."

"I wouldn't know anything about that, though, because I left before the wiping happened. Kind of had to save a Princess from being executed for just existing," she said rather blasé, "could have stayed around but I was given orders to keep her alive."

"And you have never asked her for her name?" Gwen asked.

"No, well… Fine!" He exclaimed, before shaking his head at Gwen, "Alright, what's your name?"


	4. Chapter 4: Name Sake

**Chapter Four: Name Sake**

"Real name or Earth name? Because I have been thinking of a few," she began.

"Don't be pedantic," Jack commanded, "We have no need of any 'Earth name' if you chose to take one."

"Alright then, but I can't speak it with this tongue – its rather difficult. However the closest thing you've got to it is Adelaide; and I quite like that."

"And the Princess?" Gwen questioned. Wondering if she'd get an answer, the alien was the body guard and was protecting her. Well, she still seemed to be protecting her, in a way.

"Now that," she paused and tutted slightly, "I really shouldn't tell you; although, I can't actually say the true name. So I guess it doesn't matter," she left a pause, seemingly for dramatic effect but you could be almost certain it was to annoy Jack, "Closest you'd hear it would be: Peewee. Yeah, Princess Peewee," she smiled, hoping to be helpful.

"Why can't you say the real name?" Gwen asked, "Well, I mean, surely after so long here on earth you'd learn to say it?"

"You would think that but it's complicated. There aren't enough hairs on your tongue and the mouth shape is very different. Plus the vocal chords," she explained, or at least she was trying, but it was obvious from Gwen's expression that she didn't think it mattered.

"Though I do think that I need a human name," she added, "Adelaide isn't common enough. Need something less unusual and more normal."

"Why would this be?" asked Jack, "Planning another trip, say to the outside and the streets of Cardiff?"

"Well, I'd be hoping that to help you I'll be joining you for a search. Better if I help on the outside, I'll know her instantly."

"So you know her human form?" Gwen asked, "So you've obviously seen her on Earth before you two separated?"

"Yes, and yes again. So am I correct in thinking I'll be walking with a slight freedom to help you find her?" she asked. Her gaze was only directed at Jack because she'd noticed that there was no point in persuading Gwen as Jack seemed to make every decision. Although she did guess that he'd give her the answer:

"No," Jack fired back almost instantaneously. He looked at her. "If Torchwood or UNIT found out, we'd be in serious trouble and I don't have any case backing me up!"

"With the device you could pass me off quite easily as part of the team. Give me a false identity, hire me, whatever. I'm sure someone around here knows what to do," she spoke.

"You aren't getting me with that!"

"The only reason you or UNIT knows about my bounty is because you found the information on the ship. The only reason you lot have a bounty on me is because we're more advanced," she pointed out, "but they plan on sending me back. And you aren't the only one who knows that they can't do that."

"They think you can though," Jack added, "and that technology would advance Earth by how many years?"

"Maybe a couple of centuries, but that's too much," She replied.

"I'm sorry what?" Gwen asked, confused.

It seemed both 'Adelaide' and Jack knew what was going on. Yet poor Gwen, a twenty-first century human, had no idea what they where talking about. Of course, not many people would. Only very clever people like physicists, certain types of scientists, and a lot of people who carried intellectual titles, like a doctor, might understand what was going on.

"It's a lot to explain Gwen," Jack pointed out, "But if you must know," he protested but the glance she gave him suggested that she didn't want to be thought of as dumb. He took a deep breath, "she's from the future. Don't know how but obviously a lot more advanced from when I last met up with them. Especially as they weren't even close to time travel, most of them didn't even believe in it. They're version of witchcraft."

"Well, to ease your mind, we don't know time-travel," she pointed out. He seemed a little relieved but furthered his questions. His tone a little less tense, probably because if she ever got caught they wouldn't advance as far as he was thinking.

"Then how did you get so far back?" Gwen jumped in to ask; seemingly beating Jack.

"Like I said, rifts in space, we thought it was just a worm-hole or some kind of shift, or warp-portal. Though, our technology isn't so advanced that we can actually create them. But, the theories are already thought up and written down," she began, "the only thing we knew about it was that it wasn't a black hole and, as we were being chased through space, it was worth a try to gain some time."

"A lot of time," Jack ended.

"Well we didn't know that," she added, "but we came out of it very close to your atmosphere and lost our controls, crash landing in a field near Watford. I think."

"And when did you learn to take the form of a human?" Jack questioned.

"Before, but I had to modify the settings to an high level evasive mode. Tricky business when you're plummeting to a hard surface and the world around you is shaking like nothing you've ever seen before," she answered, "Then I pressed the ejector. Just in time really, although it was the best timing, as any later and we'd have been part of the impact. However, any time before that we could have caused some serious damage to our bodies."

"So what time period are you from?" Jack asked, more casually this time.

"Don't know. We always had different calendars to the humans and I suspect it's at most a millennia. However last time I looked at our calendar we were on 2011 AT"

"AT?"

"Yeah, After the Tyrunnials," she said, "they're the extinct race; a bit like humans and Neanderthals, except the Tyrunnials lived with us quite peacefully."

"That's the earth date when you landed," he pointed out, "2011 AD!"

"Well, you're rift really doesn't help?"

"The rift through Cardiff?" Gwen asked

"Yeah, bloody rift, that's why you're here and the Weevils. The rift, I'm guessing, as we seemed to be above something a little like Cardiff before we crashed. That it must have been this rift that pulled us through."

"You've got a link though. Its 2011AD, and 2011AT somewhere else," Jack added, rather thrilled at his own thoughts and cleverness.


	5. Chapter 5: Flashback

**Chapter Five: Flashback**

"What's that bleeping mean?"

"Err, nothing. Peewee," Adelaide replied.

"Look, I'm not stupid. Tell me what it means Adelaide!"

"Okay, fine, if you have to know. We're running out of power," she sighed.

"I'm guessing it's because of being on full thrusters for 3 days?"

"Yeah, and they're going to catch up to us when the thrusters go." She added, "I tried my best."  
"We should have taken the bigger ship"

"No, then we would have risked being captured. No, actually, being captured would have been almost certain! Plus it's not yours, and that would have been stealing," she pointed out, trying to gain some moral high-ground – even though they were wanted as 'criminals'.  
"You know they'll say _this_ is stealing," the Princess added.  
"Yes, but we know it isn't. There is a difference," Adelaide said righteously. She checked the monitors and screens. The computer was on over-drive. Though, it was perfectly capable at going at that capacity, it was an obvious strain on its processors.

"You reckon we'll escape them?"  
"Well, we might have enough fuel to get us into Ifwhey airspace. If we get there we'll be fine; it's just more likely that we won't make it."

"Don't be like that. Let's be positive," the Princess tried to sound reassuring, "if there's a chance."

"There is a chance," Adelaide added, "unfortunately it's very small."

"Well, we are not giving up!" The Princess said, more determined.

Hours passed by. The game of cards the two played seemed to be getting very competitive – without gambling. Both seemed ready to unsheathe their claws. That was until, a different tone of beeping occurred.

"Thrusters?" Asked the Princess.  
"I don't think so," Adelaide shot up, walked over to the controls.

"Then what is it?"

"We've got them on radar, but they don't seem like they want to go any faster," she said smiling.

"Why's that good?"  
"Ha! They won't commit an offence,"

"They're probably being watched. Media, News, someone – I think they would otherwise." The Princess didn't seem so sure about the situation.

"Well, it's good for us. It gives us extra time if they stick to the laws of this space. It means they will stay at that distance and we might get to Ifwhey!"

"Sounds good, sound positive. You sure the thrusters will hold?"

"No, but that is why I'm scanning their power… Damn!" she exclaimed, "We are putting serious strain on this computer."

"What about the scans?"  
"It's not so good and our thrusters are just about to loose power too," she grimaced and wacked the control pad, missing any of the buttons.

"Look, it's alright – we did our best," she noted, "we did all we could. You reckon it's any use keeping the thrusters on,"

"No, well – I don't know. We might as well keep them on."

They both paused, none daring to say anything more as the situation seemed to peek towards failure.

"How long?" the Princess asked finally.

"About an hour, then they stop and if you want to continue – well I'll guess we'll have to think of something for then," she gave the choice to the Princess. They were doing this for her safety.

Adelaide sat in the pilot's chiar and stared into the vast darkness that was space. The Princess moved behind her and packed away the card game. When she sat back down Adelaide sighed, heavily.

There seemed to be no escape. They would be caught before Ifwhey space because they were too far away from it – close, yet too far.

Suddenly there was another bleeping. The Princess shot upward, coming forwards, as Adelaide snapped out of a dreamy stare and looked at the screen in front of her.

"What is it?" asked the Princess.

"Don't know. It says there is something ahead," they both looked up.

In front of them a portal had appeared. It was not too far away and closer than Ifwhey. The portal was circular, was dark and light and oddly peculiar.

"That's not a black hole is it?"  
"It can't be, they can't just appear – and I'd hope not that size either!" she pushed buttons and sent her scanner whirring, "Ah, no. it's not a black hole. There is no gravitational pull. It seems to be like a worm hole."

"Do the scanner's know what is it?" asked the Princess intruiged.

The words "Unknown" flashed on the screen.

"I do believe that they don't. It seems they cannot tell, and are –in fact- flabbergasted!"

They both looked at each other, confused and curious.

"Do you believe in miracles, Pee Wee?" Adelaide smiled.

"You can't be suggesting we go through it?"

"We have enough power?"  
"But we don't know what it is!"

"Is it not worth a try?"  
"What? Certain doom against Unknown peril and danger?"

"Well, there's a better chance we'll survive that than the ships…" She said checking the scanner and radar to monitor the situation.

"Well, I don't know," the Princess concluded. The radar beeping became more intense.

"Seems they've got permission to speed! They're gaining on us," Adelaide pointed out, slightly panicky.

"Then we'd better go through," the Princess decided, though she was a little tense.

"You'd better sit down, and brace yourself, this ship is not designed for what we are about to do," Adelaide informed.

"Will it hold?"

"Yeah, but it will certainly not like it. I think we'll have a bit of damage but it's hard to say how much."

"It doesn't matter. Can't we go any faster?" the Princess secured herself to the passenger seat and looked at the screens in front of her. She understood some things, but working the scanners and doing most of the useful things was a foreign concept to her.  
"I'd have gone faster by now if we could," Adelaide was tense, she tried to concentrate on the controls but another bleeping.

"That's them hailing us, right?"

"Yeah, click the flashing button to put it on screen. Not the blue one! We just want voice," Adelaide commanded. The Princess pushed the button.

A new voice came through the speakers. The screen fizzled and flickered until some one with authority, or they at least looked like they did, appear on screen. With his face forwards he glowered through the screen.

"What no picture?"  
"Exhausted computer, you know how it is," Adelaide lied.

"Hmmm," he frowned, "Princess and associate." He addressed them formally. Adelaide muttered something about having a name, which made the Princess smile. "You are wanted criminals under the jurisdiction of the People's Government and the Royal Guard!"

"Hey wait a minute – the Royal Guard work for us!" the Princess retorted.

"No," he said, quite dignified, "The Royal Guard work for the People's Government."

"Infiltration?" asked the Princess to Adelaide.

"Hmph! obviously, probably have connections inside the group. That's how they got in so fast," Adelaide cursed under her breath.

"You both have the bounty of 10 million credits placed upon your live retrieval."

"And our dead retrieval?"

"We want you alive. The associate," again Adelaide muttered about having a name, "is subject to trial and the Princess is subject to execution!" There was a pause, both Adelaide and the Princess looked at each other and then towards the portal in front of them.

"We at the People's Government are giving you the chance to surrender; we know you have little power left in your thrusters. There is no use in trying to escape any more," the voice continued.

"Umm," pondered Adelaide.

"Never – now, into the hole," commanded the Princess.  
"Just answer me one question. What is it that's in front of us?"  
"It's a worm hole. You must really have done damage to the computers if it is not telling you that simple deduction… You cannot possibly be thinking about jumping through-"  
"Booster Fluid!" Exclaimed Adelaide, pressing a button to boost the power, and speed, dramatically; it would only last about 5 minutes, but it would make all the difference.

"And when were you going to tell me about this trick?" the Princess was shocked, "You kept it quite neatly up your sleave!"

"Best to keep it for emergencies – rule one of emergency procedure: Booster Fluid is for emergencies, and miracles."

"It really said miracles?"  
"Emergencies, miracles, same difference in this case!" she smirked as they shot ahead.

"Brace your self," she warned as the shaking began. They'd entered the 'worm hole'.

Little did these two cat-like aliens know that their technology held one vital flaw at this moment in time! For if they weren't so biased in their views on space, travel, and time they'd have known what the portal was. You see, the obvious flaw is not believing in time travel, as well as the mysterious, slightly mythological time lords. Especially when throughout their history the were a number of sightings and records of them appearing within their space and planet.

Now, the worst part was that they said that the time lords did not exist and that what they said was wrong. Mainly because they were right and because since then all their technology has over looked rifts and worm-hole-looking time portals and identified them as "unknown". Which, the race didn't seem to find too problematic as they understood the temperament of most computers and technology that descended mostly from humans.

Though, if they didn't have this flaw they probably wouldn't have been as hesitant to go through this rift; yet, then again, maybe they would have been. The time portal, believed impossible, could transport you anywhere in space – and to any time period that could or would exist.

They appeared with a planet straight ahead of them. It was the darker side, the planet's sun was invisible at the angle they were at, and their speed had diminished. They were drifting, with hardly any speed, forwards.

"The shaking has disabled our thrusters."  
"Is that bad?" asked the Princess.

"No, good thing really. Otherwise we'd be hurtling at the planet in front of us."

"Dare I ask where it is?"

"I'm checking," she fired up the scanners, working her way through the controls, "We've fried some of the systems but the guidance seems to be in alright shape to work. Just give it a minute,"

"What's it doing?"  
"Configuring the star systems around us, scanning the surface of the planet, checking the amount of satellites – anything that will tell us where we are!" It beeped.  
"And?"  
"Errrm… Earth, Humans."

"You mean, New Earth?"  
"Nope. Old Earth – last I heard it was uninhabitable 3 centuries ago," she scrunched her face, confused, "it doesn't make much sense."  
"Why it's just taken us to the Old Earth, hasn't it?"  
"If our scanners are right yes, but if they are right then it's actually inhabited by many. I'm not just saying humans, life signs are booming!"  
"What does that mean?"  
"Well, I know and have seen that it's uninhabitable, we both know it's got more satellites and I'm pretty sure we are actually in the right solar system. Everything checks out. I'm guessing we've just proved the existence of time travel."

"What?!" the Princess exclaim was actually a question but Adeliade was busy checking over the scanners, "I said 'What?!' as in you have to be kidding me!"  
"Sorry, I'm checking scanners again – it can't be true. By the way, the portal has gone. It can't be true!" She seemed ecstatic about the situation. "Ha Ha! I've proved the time lord theory!"

"Don't be so happy, what are we going to do?"

"Well, first of all – we're probably going to crash land. It will be okay though, as long as we configure our camouflage devices. They would be… ummm… in the draw by your left hand side!"

The Princess opened the draw, took out the two devices and put one on her wrist – holding the other out to Adelaide. Adelaide took it and attached it to her wrist. It was then a bleep occurred and a message came on screen.

"Get out of our Air Space!  
Or, we'll shoot you down."  
"Hmm, how charming," said the Princess.

"Came from a 'Torchwood'. Guess we'll send them a message – don't know how advanced they are yet, but I guess they've met aliens. Still, let's configure these and then send a message!"

"How do we do that?" the Princess wondered.

"Let me do it, better if I get it correct than you damage it, eh?"

"What you saying?" the Princess seemed unimpressed as Adelaide fiddled with the settings of the Princess' device. It flashed twice and the Princess turned into a human form.

Her hair was blonde, her eyes blue and her clothing was exactly the same. She was pale skinned and she obviously kept the same height.

Now it was Adelaide's turn. She finished and her device flashed twice too. She turned into a different human form. They kept the same build as before – Adelaide being slightly taller and stockier than the Princess. Adelaide had brown hair, brown eyes, and a slightly darker skin than the Princess.

Then they heard bleeping.


End file.
